Osteospermum plant named &#39;kakegawa au16&#39;

ABSTRACT

‘Kakegawa AU16’ is a new  Osteospermum  cultivar particularly distinguished by its non-fading purple inflorescence color, basal branching and compact growth habit.

GENUS AND SPECIES

Osteospermum hybrid

VARIETY DENOMINATION

‘Kakegawa AU16’

BACKGROUND OF THE NEW PLANT

The variety ‘Kakegawa AU16’ originated from a gene pool population made in Misato, Japan. In May 1999, three Osteospermum varieties were intercrossed and F₁ seed from this cross was bulked to make the population. The three varieties used in the intercross were ‘Purple Passion’ (unpatented), an unnamed Osteospermum breeding line of unknown origin with day-neutral blooming, and an unnamed Osteospermum line with purple inflorescences.

In April 2000, F₁ seed was sown in the greenhouse. Plants were later transplanted outdoors for evaluation in Misato, Japan. Criteria for selection included compact growth habit, basal branching, non-fading inflorescence color, heavy flowering and day-neutral blooming. In August 2000, one single-plant selection was made based on the above criteria and vegetatively propagated by rooted cuttings in Misato, Japan. The selection subsequently was named ‘Kakegawa AU16’ and found to reproduce true to type in successive generations of asexual propagation.

DESCRIPTION OF PHOTOGRAPHS

This new Osteospermum plant is illustrated by the accompanying photographs which show blooms and foliage of the plant in full color. The colors shown are as true as can be reasonably obtained by conventional photographic procedures.

FIG. 1 shows overall plant habit.

FIG. 2 shows the mature inflorescence.

DESCRIPTION OF THE NEW CULTIVAR

The following detailed descriptions set forth the distinctive characteristics of ‘Kakegawa AU16’. The data which defines these characteristics were collected from asexual reproductions carried out in Salinas, Calif. Data were collected on plants grown about four months from transplanting rooted cuttings into 16 cm diameter pots, one plant per pot, under greenhouse conditions. Color references are to the RHS Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society of London (RHS).

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

-   Classification:     -   -   Family.—Compositae.         -   Species.—Osteospermum sp. cultivar ‘Kakegawa AU16’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Male.—Unknown Osteospermum breeding line.         -   Female.—Unknown Osteospermum breeding line. -   Plant description:     -   -   Form.—Highly branching.         -   Habit.—Mounding.         -   Height.—45 cm as measured from soil level to top of plant.         -   Width.—60 cm.         -   Life cycle.—Perennial. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type cuttings: Vegetative cuttings.         -   Time to produce a rooted cutting: About 4 weeks.         -   Time to bloom from propagation.—About four weeks after             transferring a rooted vegetative cutting to a 16 cm diameter             pot. Flowering season is all year in the United States.             Vernalization is not required to induce flowering. -   Environmental conditions for plant growth: The base of each cutting     was dipped for one to two seconds in a 1:9 solution of DIP 'N GROW     root-inducing solution immediately prior to placing the cutting into     a cell tray. The cell tray contained a moistened peat moss-based     growing medium. The cuttings were misted with water from overhead     hourly until sufficient roots were formed. Rooted cuttings were     transplanted and grown individually in 16 cm diameter plastic pots     in a glass greenhouse located in Salinas, Calif. Pots contained a     peat moss-based growing medium. Soluble fertilizer containing 18%     nitrogen, 8% phosphorus and 18% potassium was applied. The soil was     allowed to dry between waterings. During the first few weeks after     transplanting, the plants were grown under evening temperatures     around 15-18° C. for good root growth. When plants reached 7.5-10 cm     in height they were pinched back to 5-6 leaves to promote branching.     Spring and summer daytime high temperatures in Salinas, Calif. range     from 16-25° C. -   Stems:     -   -   Texture.—Slightly pubescent.         -   Pubescence color.—RHS 155A (white).         -   Pubescence shape.—Linear.         -   Stem description.—Ancipital (round) in cross-section.         -   Stem color.—RHS 141 D (green).         -   Stem diameter.—0.5-0.6 cm at base.         -   Internode length.—2.0-3.0 cm. -   Leaves:     -   -   Leaf arrangement.—Alternate.         -   Leaf shape.—Oblanceolate.         -   Leaf apex.—Mucronate.         -   Leaf base.—Decurrent.         -   Leaf margin.—Serrate.         -   Leaf venation.—Pinnate.         -   Leaf texture, both surfaces.—Dull, smooth.         -   Leaf surface pubescence.—Slight.         -   Leaf length.—4.5-6.0 cm.         -   Leaf width.—1.7-2.2 cm.         -   Leaf thickness.—0.1 cm.         -   Leaf color.—Upper surface: RHS 137B (green) Lower surface:             RHS 137C (green).         -   Venation color.—Upper surface: RHS 144B (yellow-green) Lower             surface: RHS 144B (yellow-green).         -   Petiole.—Length: 4.9-5.6 cm Diameter: 0.2 cm Color: RHS 144A             (yellow-green). -   Inflorescence:     -   -   Inflorescence type.—Capitulum (head); disc florets are             perfect and ray florets are carpellate.         -   Inflorescence diameter.—6.0-7.0 cm.         -   Inflorescence depth.—2.5-3.5 cm.         -   Flowering habit.—Determinate.         -   Lastingness of inflorescences.—3-4 days on the plant.         -   Fragrance.—None.         -   Disc diameter.—1.0-1.2 cm.         -   Disc floret number.—85-90.         -   Phyllaries.—About 21 in a single whorl per inflorescence,             free, arranged symmetrically.         -   Phyllary length.—0.9-1.2 cm.         -   Phyllary width.—0.1 cm.         -   Phyllary apex.—Acute.         -   Phyllary margin.—Entire.         -   Phyllary shape.—Lanceolate.         -   Phyllary color.—Upper surface: RHS 143A (green) Lower             surface: RHS 143B (green).         -   Peduncle length.—6.0-7.0 cm.         -   Peduncle diameter.—0.2-0.3 cm.         -   Peduncle color.—RHS 143C (green).         -   Peduncle texture.—Dull, slight pubescence. -   Ray florets:     -   -   Corolla.—One ray per ray floret; only the outer row of             florets is the ray florets.         -   Ray floret length.—2.1-2.2 cm.         -   Ray floret width.—0.6 cm.         -   Ray floret shape.—Spatulate.         -   Ray floret apex.—Acute.         -   Ray floret margin.—Entire.         -   Ray floret color.—Upper surface: RHS 78B (purple) with RHS             79B (purple) outer stripes and RHS 78D (purple) inner             stripes. Lower surface: RHS 76C (purple) with RHS 77C             (purple) and RHS 79C (purple) stripes.         -   Ray floret texture.—Glabrous.         -   Ray floret ovary.—Superior.         -   Ray floret pistil form.—One style with two stigma branches.         -   Ray floret pistil length.—0.3 cm.         -   Ray floret stigma color.—RHS 77A (purple).         -   Ray floret style color.—RHS 155A (white). -   Disc florets:     -   -   Disc floret color.—Upper surface: RHS N77A (purple) Lower             surface: RHS N77A (purple).         -   Disc floret shape.—Ensiform.         -   Disc floret apex.—Acute.         -   Disc floret base.—Cuneate.         -   Disc floret surface texture.—Dull, pubescent.         -   Disc floret margin.—Entire.         -   Disc floret size.—Length: 0.3 cm Width: 0.1 cm.         -   Disc floret ovary.—Superior.         -   Disc floret pistil form.—One style with two stigma branches.         -   Disc floret style color.—RHS 155A (white).         -   Disc floret stigma color.—RHS 103B (blue).         -   Location of Gynoecium.—Ray florets and disc florets.         -   Disc floret stamens.—5, fused into a single tube.         -   Disc floret anther color.—RHS 103B (blue).         -   Disc floret pollen color.—RHS 17A (orange).         -   Location of Androecium.—Disc florets.

DISEASE AND INSECT RESISTANCE

‘Kakegawa AU16’ is very disease resistant but is susceptible to aphids, thrips, whiteflies and worms.

COMPARISON WITH KNOWN CULTIVARS

‘Kakegawa AU16’ a distinct variety of Osteospermum owing to its non-fading purple inflorescence color, basal branching and compact growth habit. ‘Kakegawa AU16’ is most similar to the variety ‘Wildside’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 10,603) however, there are differences as described in Table 1 below. TABLE 1 Characteristic ‘Kakegawa AU16’ ‘Wildside’ Ray floret color, RHS 78B (purple) with RHS 71A (red-purple); upper surface RHS 79B (purple) outer color fades as stripes and RHS 78D inflorescence ages (purple) inner stripes Growth habit Compact Broad Basal branching Present None 

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Osteospermum plant as shown and described herein. 